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The Arrival2,929 words
Father and Son2,686 words
A Rising Storm2,042 words
The Dawn of Evil1,841 words
Until Death Do Us Part1,764 words
The Stage is Set1,481 words
Springing the Trap2,319 words
The Trial2,365 words
Taken Away1,096 words
All in due time1,265 words

The Stage is Set

It was just past midnight, when all ponies were asleep, Edmond made his way back home. The streets and houses were shrouded in the darkness of the night, and so he had to take care not to trip over the occasional obstacle or two. Still, even with this in mind, he made haste to reach his home, for he carried with him great news. News so great and joyful that he would resort to even waking his father; he had to know right away.

And so, after just about seven minutes, the young Edmond arrived at the step of his home, slowly and carefully opening the door. He wanted to wake his father and tell him the story, not scare him to death, after all.

Edmond closed the door behind him, slightly less careful than when he had opened it. He stood still for a moment, ears twitching as he listened for a distinct sound, a sound he would expect to hear at a time such as this.

And, true to form, there it was. From upstairs, the sound of a quiet, yet still audible snoring came. Having heard this exact, quiet noise every time he came home at such late hour, he recognised it right away: It was his father, slumbering upstairs in his bedroom.

Edmond made his way up the stairs, the old, wooden planks creaking under his hooves with every step. Yet, just as he reached the second floor, the snoring ceased. Edmond put a hoof after another, now even slower and more quiet than before.

The snoring continued again, just as Edmond walked around a corner, seeing that the door to his father’s bedroom stood wide open. No wonder I could hear him through the entire house, Edmond thought to himself as he approached the room. The snoring grew louder and louder with every step.

The young pegasus peeked his head into the room, his gaze immediately directed towards his father, who laid on his bed. He had not tucked himself up, as was usual for such a hot summer, and his covers laid on the ground, in front of the bed. His back was turned towards Edmond, his snoring continuing.

“Father,” Edmond whispered, approaching the bed and his father. “Father, I have great news!” he said, barely able to contain his excitement and joy now that he was actually talking to his father. “Father?” He asked, stepping close, “Father, wake up!” He shouted.

Louis Dash grumbled, visibly focusing on keeping his eyes shut.

“She said yes, father!” Edmond shouted, “She said yes!” he jumped with joy and excitement, unable to hold himself back anymore.

His father was fully awake at that moment.

“Son! Son, repeat this again, I dare not to trust my old ears!” Louis Dash spoke up, turning over towards his son.

“You heard right, father, you heard right! Why else would I be so overjoyed?” Edmond happily confirmed.

“Oh, what great joy! Come here, my son, let me embrace you!” Edmond didn’t hold himself back, and fell into the arms of his father who now sat on the side of his bed. “Never have I been so proud of you, my son,” Louis said. Tears of joy escaped his eyes as he held his son to his chest in a tight, loving embrace.

“Do not be proud of me, Father...” Edmond insisted. “I have simply followed your kind advice and guidance, and found the love of my life,” he said. “She is my soulmate.”

Edmond’s father chuckled, patting his son on his back as their embrace endured. “You always were a humble one, Edmond.” At last, Louis pulled his son out of the embrace, looking him in the eyes with a proud, kind smile. “This time, however, it was not the merit of my work; but yours. You have come so far in life, my dear Edmond, not because of my guidance but your heart, soul, and mind. It is you who is to thank for this joyful event, not me.”

Edmond watched his father for a brief moment before he could no longer resist, and he began to cry tears of joy as well, just as his father did, who now pulled him back into his arms.

“I am so proud, Edmond. The first time that I saw you and this beautiful Shycedes together, oh how lovely you looked, I knew you were destined for each other.”

“Is-” Edmond paused to wipe away his tears. “Is this true, father? Are you truly proud?”

“As proud as any father can be, my son.” Edmond teared up yet again as his father stroked through the fur on his son’s back, comforting him as he wept into his shoulder.

“I’m sure your mother would love to be with you now, son. She would want to be here for this.” Louis whispered in a hushed tone. A single tear, not of joy this time, but of sorrow flowed down his cheek.

“She would,” Edmond replied simply, continuing to cry. “She would pull me into an embrace even tighter than yours.”

Louis gave out a light-hearted laugh. “Wherever she may be now, she is truly proud of you, and loves you with all her might. Of that I can be certain.”

“Yes...” Edmond whispered. Releasing his father from their embrace, he sat back against the bed and pressed a hoof to his breast, “Yes, I can feel her warmth, her embrace. Deep within, I can.”

“Come now, son. Let us not waste more time,” Louis said, putting on his slippers as he got off his bed. “You must tell me how it all came to be during a calming glass of wine. Come now, Edmond, come, come!”

Edmond wiped away his last few tears as he watched his father, his usually calm and quiet father, walk out of the room as fast as he could. He ran right after him, eager to tell him just what had happened, and how it happened.

That night, just around the corner from where Shycedes now slept, Fernand stood; Lonely, freezing in the cold of the night and growing increasingly impatient.

He checked his watch: Half past midnight.

Where is he? he thought to himself, looking around. Curse Danglarjack for dragging him into this! I knew I couldn’t rely on ponies like-

The shadow of a pony appeared. “Like him...” he said to himself, watching as the shadow of a pony drew closer and closer.

“Apologies.” Berry Puncherousse stepped out from the shadows of the night, into the dim light of a small candle Fernand had brought with him. “I got... caught up in doing other things. It will not happen again, you have my word.”

“Save yourself the apology, colt. Tell me what I need to know.” Fernand looked around again, lucky to not spot any random ponies to wander past and spot them.

“All as planned,” Berry reported. “It is hidden away in his closet, just beneath his sailor attire; that is where the blade will be found.”

“And you made sure not to raise suspicion?” Fernand asked.

“Suspicion? Hah!” Berry cackled self-confidently. “The old Dash is too nice and friendly. Just as he prepared the tea, as I had asked of him, I sneaked into the young Edmond’s room and did what I was set out to do.”

“Brilliant! Excellent!” Fernand replied triumphantly, yet quietly, always sure not to attract attention. “And Edmond will be home tomorrow morning, yes?”

“His father told me he was off to see Shycedes, that is all he knew.”

“Hmpf...” Fernand replied, “Shycedes is home already, and so Edmond will be too. I doubt he will leave bed early tomorrow after such a long night.”

“Well, he will leave bed early - one way or another,” Berry replied with a smirk.

“True, true.” Fernand gave out a small cackle. “Me and my soldiers will surprise him, overwhelm him. We’ll find a weapon in his own closet, beneath the very clothes he had worn during the act of crime - guilty! Guilty, I say!”

“Guilty! Send him off to Hoofatraz! Guilty of a terrible, horrible, gruesome murder, I say! Guilty!”

“Shhh!” Fernand hushed Berry with a hoof as they heard ponies across the street, inside their homes, speak up.

“We will have to postpone our victory speech until a later date, I’m afraid.” Fernand turned his back towards his ally, saying to him “And good work, Puncherousse. You have done well. Make sure, however, you are on time from now on.”

He walked around a corner, thinking to himself ..or else my patience might just run out for you, young Puncherousse.

Berry watched his friend disappear behind the nearest corner, and turned tail himself as the chatter from the houses started again.

The plan was drawn-up, the actors prepared. All of the pieces of their puzzle were in their place, and the stage was finally set.

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